


Tactic of a Cat

by Inuy21



Series: Modern Thedas AU [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Anders is very needy and clingy, Established Relationship, Highschool Anders, Karl going off to college, M/M, Running away from home, mild hurt/comfort due to Anders' past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27748594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inuy21/pseuds/Inuy21
Summary: With Karl heading off to college, Anders refuses to stay in a town where he obviously isn't wanted. Step one: show up at his boyfriend's house in the dead of night; Step two: Snuggle with affection and pleading until Anders gets his way.
Relationships: Anders/Karl Thekla
Series: Modern Thedas AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/737850
Kudos: 1





	Tactic of a Cat

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first time writing this couple even though I adore them immensely! So I hope I did an okay job with them. 
> 
> Also if there's any other tags I need to add please let me know.

Anders stuffed the backpack full of clothes and a few personal items. He wouldn’t be returning, so he needed to make sure that all the essentials were packed before he left home. Taking one last look around his childhood room, he tucked a stray hair behind his ear and contemplated if there was anything he might have forgotten. With a sigh Anders fingers delved into his hair and focused on the important matter: getting out of this damned house and town where everyone judged him!

When his magic had accidentally shown up at the age of twelve the world around him might as well have changed too. How many friends had he lost? His own father became a stranger. If it wasn’t for his mother, Anders would have run away long ago. He had debated telling her now, at least to ease that burden just a little, but then she would know where to look. A stubborn tear threatened to fall as he wondered if his mother would try to find him or if his father would easily talk her out of it.

“It doesn’t matter,” Anders scoffed, running a thumb under his eye to stop the leakage. “We can all be happy ignoring each other thousands of miles apart much easier than living in the same house.”

He patted the wad of money he’d managed to steal from his parents’ ‘secret’ hiding place. He was allowed that much, right? Some money to keep him on his feet until he got a job, though he wouldn’t be paying them back. Anders shrugged, it was their…well his father’s fault that he wanted to leave, that he didn’t want to ever return. He would no longer have to use his damned birthname that had become a burden, something he refused to answer to which only furthered his trouble at school. 

With a weighty nod, Anders reminded himself this was for the best. It was what he needed to do. He tossed the stuffed backpack out the window before he gave one last look around the room, seeking out the one item he wanted to take despite not being all-important. It would only be a reminder of his mother, one of the few people that hadn’t rejected him when his magic had first shown up. With a quick glance at his bed, Anders couldn’t stop from snatching the pillow that his mother had embroidered when he’d been a child. 

Pillow in hand, Anders shimmied out the window then carefully closed it. Grabbing the pack, he slung it over his shoulder and headed away from his childhood home. There was no looking back or crying over what hardships he might face from now on. No, Anders had a plan…of sorts, now to see if it would pay off. 

~S~

Anders reached into his pocket, his fingers rolling the handful of small pebbles as he stared at the darkened window. Karl was going to be pissed, but it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, he chucked the first pebble and waited. He counted in his head, all too aware how exposed he was on the front lawn. Hopefully none of the Thekla’s neighbors were nosey night owls. 

Taking a glance around, Anders pitched another pebble at the window. Why wasn’t there a damned tree he could climb? It would make things so much easier! He watched and waited again, already reaching for the next pebble in his pocket. What would he do if he ran out before Karl awoke? 

Flames licked just below his skin, a reminder that he did have other tricks up his sleeve. No, using magic would be a last resort, and even then, he would rather break into the Thekla’s house than cause damage or harm to the property. With a mental tamp he focused on the pebble and Karl’s window. How many more did he have? His finger skimmed over three, four, and five. Five more attempts, then he would have to move on to plan B. 

He was just about to toss the next one when the window finally slid open. A rush of joy and dread filled his lungs as Karl’s head poked out and called out to him. Anders gave the older boy a grin and an erratic wave. 

“Meet me at the front door.”

Anders grabbed up his belongings and rushed to the door, rolling back on his heels in anticipation as he waited. When the door opened, Anders pounced, locking his arms around Karl’s neck and pushing onto his toes so their lips smashed together. Karl staggered backwards with a laugh and hands gripping Anders’ waist, mumbled under the pressure of Anders’ lips and half-attempting to push Anders away. With one last hard kiss, Anders lowered his heels back to the ground and pulled away from his boyfriend. Though Anders couldn’t resist sifting his fingers through Karl’s short hair, needing to keep him close. 

“What are you doing here?” Karl asked with a lingering smile. “You know I have to leave early in the morning, as much as I would enjoy one last sleepover with you.”

A lingering kiss planted on Anders’ cheek had his tawny eyes sliding to the left, avoiding Karl’s gaze. “I know,” Anders whispered, “I’m coming with you.”

Karl stiffened, craning his neck back and using a hand to force Anders’ gaze to meet his. “You’re still in high school, only a few more years…”

“I can’t wait that long, Karl,” Anders snapped, perhaps a little too loud. He didn’t want a fight or to wake anyone up, just to reason with the only person that understood him. “I can’t be without you,” he pleaded, as he leaned in against the taller boy, pressing his forehead against Karl’s shoulder.

Karl pulled Anders into a tight hug as he moved them out of the doorway, pulling it shut, before either of his parents woke. 

“We’ll still see each other,” Karl soothed, a hand running down Anders’ spine. “I promise I’ll be back whenever there’s a break.” Anders’ sniffed against his neck, fingers digging into the back of Karl’s shirt. “We can call each other, text, and video chat.”

“It won’t be the same.” Anders’ voice trembled along with his body, clinging desperately to the one good thing in his life. “Everything will change, you’ll meet someone new, forget about me stuck in this forsaken town. My parents…” he started before being cut off with a tender kiss to the cheek. 

“They’ll think I kidnapped you. That I’m some perv that stole their precious little boy,” Karl argued, half-joking yet also knowing how much Anders’ father disapproved of so many things. 

Anders rolled his eyes. “They won’t care. They probably won’t even notice I’m gone.”

Another kiss to the cheek. “I know your mother will.” Karl shrugged his shoulder to dislodge Anders. The stubborn look Karl was with met had him whispering, “Besides, you need to stay here and finish school.” When Anders snorted, Karl gave him kiss on the lips. “I can’t take you with me across the country.”

“You can,” Anders whispered back, brushing his cheek along Karl’s. “If you don’t take me then I’ll follow you some other way.”

With an exasperated sigh Karl rested his head against Anders’ shoulder, arms wrapping tighter around Anders’ slender back. “You can’t,” he almost growled but managed to keep his tone light. 

“I’m not going home. I won’t,” Anders proclaimed, once again sinking his fingers into Karl’s back. “When you’re gone who will I have? This town is…a shithole. I’m leaving one way or another and I would prefer it be with you.” 

Keeping Anders tight to him, Karl leaned back against the doorframe in exasperation and defeat, but he still had to make sure Anders knew the risks. “And if your parents find out I’ll be accused of kidnapping you. Do you want me to be arrested?” 

Anders groaned against Karl’s neck. “You know that’s not what I want,” he whined before pulling back. “I just,” he started, eyes rolling away from Karl’s. Anders bit down on his bottom lip. “I can’t live like this anymore. Everyone looking at me sideways, waiting for me to screw up again.” He took a shuddering breath. “It’s not like I meant to set that house on fire, but that’s all anyone remembers anymore.”

Karl took Anders’ chin in hand. “Listen to me. None of that was your fault, you know that.” When Anders tried to jerk away Karl held tighter. “How were you to know?” He stopped to give Anders a chaste kiss. “You couldn’t. Your father and most of these people are asses for judging you by that one mistake when you were a child.” 

A smile grew over Anders’ lips, his head tilting to the side as he leaned in. “You’re the only one that gets me, that’s ever stuck up for me. If you hadn’t shown up when you did…”

Closing his eyes, Anders refused to think about those times in his life. How vulnerable he had been until Karl moved into town. Someone that listened and cared and made him laugh. The fact that Karl could talk Anders down from his emotional tirades and soothe his fears with just a smile or a touch. 

“That’s why I have to leave,” Anders confessed, the tip of his nose brushing Karl’s cheek as he tipped his head further so their lips could meet. “Two years without you, I won’t make it.” 

He’d likely murder his father and scare his mother off for good. He’d be sent to some torturous fate that Anders’ father would fine a just end to his own son’s life. Never to see Karl again. Hear the voice that calmed his every nerve or see the spark of love in those blue eyes.

Karl sighed against his boyfriend’s lips, a hand running through limp blonde hair, tugging lightly to keep Anders from interrupting him. “I wish you would have told me all this earlier. Not that I would have agreed to it then, anyway, told you it was impossible…”

“It’s a good thing I didn’t ask for your opinion in advance, then,” Anders cut Karl off with an impish smile, “because I wouldn’t have listened. I would be here tonight begging you to take me away.” Anders glanced at the backpack he had stuffed full of everything he needed. “I can change my name, take online courses to finish high school.” He pulled back just enough to look at Karl. “In a few years we could get married.” 

Laughter burst free, Karl knocking his forehead against Anders’. “You have been planning this for quite some time, you sly little cat. I should still refuse you, tell you to go home and wait things out.” He pressed a quick kiss to Anders’ lips. “But I can’t let you come to any harm, even if that means putting myself at risk.”

Anders’ ambushed Karl with a rough kiss, a hand holding onto short dark hair. Freedom! The sweet taste of Karl’s mouth, the deep groan emitting from his throat. Anders stretched his lanky body along Karl’s taller form, wanting to climb up and curl against the heat and solid safety. He was just about to attempt it when the hand at Anders’ neck curled around long strands of hair and tugged to break the kiss. 

Karl nipped at Anders’ chin, before moving down to his throat and warning with a slight growl, “No one can know that you were here, love.” 

“I know,” Anders groaned, “but I have nowhere else to go. I can’t go back to my parents’ house. I won’t risk getting caught by them.” His hands sifted through Karl’s dark hair. “I can find a place to curl up for the evening, you know me. Just tell me where to meet you and I’ll be there.”

Karl snorted. “You’re not sleeping outside; I won’t let you. You can share my bed for a few hours. I’ll set an early alarm and you can sneak out before my parents wake up to see me off.” 

Anders arched his back, hips bumping against Karl’s. “Sounds delightfully sneaky of you, Thekla,” he purred just as Karl caught his hips. 

“None of that, little cat. If you stay you have to behave.” Karl disentangled them as best he could while pressed against the door. “Promise me.”

With a small pout and mischief in his tawny brown eyes, Anders agreed. “If only because there will be plenty of time in the future for me to pounce on you.” 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, you know,” Karl laughed, bringing Anders back in for soft kiss. “Now grab your stuff and be quiet.”


End file.
